Read our PBS op-ed highlighting the importance of NASSP’s National Student Council to help students solve the mental health crisis. Authored by Shreeya Gogia, an NASSP Student Leadership Network on Mental Health facilitator and a National Association of Student Councils member, she uses her experiences supporting students with mental health and NASSP survey data to make the case for more student voice at all levels of decision-making.

Principal Leadership talked with Tyler Dashner, NASSP’s managing director of growth strategy, and Ann Postlewaite, NASSP’s director of community, about the change from NatStuCo to NASC, as well as the new and exciting aspects of the program coming this year.

A dynamic student council can be your school’s greatest asset, and NASC is here to unlock its full potential. We’ve tailored NASC membership to deliver maximum value, ensuring that every school can provide their students with top-notch leadership opportunities and experiences. NASC isn’t just an investment; it’s a game-changer for your school and your students.

In this issue of Principal Leadership, I’m excited to share some big changes we have planned for our student council program, which has been known as NatStuCo for the last few years. But first, some history.

President Reagan spoke at the 1983 NASC Conference where he discussed his start in politics serving as the student body president of Dixon High School in Dixon, IL.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we spoke with Lynnette Hollis, an instructor in the Freshman Transition Academy at Delcastle High School in Wilmington, DE, about the school’s inspiring service project, the Soul to Sole Sock Drive. Hollis is also the adviser of the school club Leading Ladies Empowerment Group and the heart behind the service project. Below, she shares her insights on the club’s sock drive, its impact, and empowering student voices.

Of the 353 schools that the U.S. Department of Education named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023, 11 are headed by school leaders who are members of NASSP. The recognition, announced in late September, is given to schools in honor of their overall academic performance or for their progress in closing achievement gaps.

Applications for the 2024 National Council of Excellence (NCOE) Awards—representing council activities and projects from January 1 to December 31, 2023—opened last month. To understand the benefits of applying for and receiving such recognition, we spoke with Shawn Freeman, a student council adviser at Ada High School in Ada, OK, and the executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Student Councils. In 2023, for the 11th year in a row, the student council at Ada was recognized as an NCOE. Freeman has worked with the student council since the first year it applied, and she continues to encourage her student leaders to push themselves to new levels of excellence. Here’s why she says other student councils should apply.

Life is a cumulation of the moments we’ve had, with some moments more significant than others. As we accumulate experiences, our lives can transform from just one moment. My life-changing experience involves 500+ student leaders from 50+ states and U.S. territories, all in the heart of Washington, D.C. NASSP’s LEAD Conference held earlier this month allowed me to strengthen my skills, alter my perspective, and dream bigger, shaping my leadership experience forever.

Recalling the many times in my career that principals and peers challenged me to think outside the box, and then in turn me sharing the same advice with my student leaders, the idea of “thinking inside the box” seems counterintuitive. After all, we want our students to think about the possibilities when faced with hurdles and then focus on ways to overcome them instead of lamenting the constraints.

Throughout my time in high school, I have learned that mental health is not a goal, object, or buzzword but rather an active practice. Taking care of your mental well-being requires self-awareness, patience, and reflection. It may sound daunting, but there are plenty of tools that can help.